Vacuum tank



Jan. 3, 1928. 1,655,162

E. c RICHARD VACUUM TANK Filed Dec. 29, 1922 il L) Patented Jan. 3, 192.8.

UNITED STATES rA'rENT oFEicE.

EUGENE C. RICHARD, F FLINT, hlIGHGil, ASSGE'R T0 GENERAL MOTORS CGR- PORATION', 0F DETRUIT, MICHIGAN, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

'VACUUM TANK.

Application am December ae, 192e. serial No. 609,720.

The present invention relates to vacuum tanks such as are used in supplying fuel for an` internal combustion engine from a main tant; located at a low level to a carbureter located at a high level.

@ne object of the invention is to provide a dump valve construction which may be readily removed as a unit through the bottom of the taule'. and without dist-urbingv other elements thereof. i

.another object is to provide an exceedinglly simple, inexpensive and efficient valve mechanism whereby the application of suc tion to the vacuum chamber is controlled. To this end, l avoid the use of snap mech anism and provide a light, simple valve for the suction passage arranged to snap to its seat by suction and entirely shut olf the suction independent of the float action.

Ilhe invention is also concerned with certain details of construction hereinafter more =.fully described and claimed.

Referring, now to the drawings accompanying and forming` a part of this specification, wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated:

Figll is a diagrammatic view showing the relation of thetanlr to the usual intake mani i fold and carbureter;

Fig, 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l showing a preferred embodiment of the invent-ion;

Fig. 4E is a plan view corresponding to Fig.

` 2, parts being brolren away;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the valves showing the suction port open `and the vent closed; i .a

Fig. 6 iea view corresponding to llig. 5 showing; both ports open; and

Fig. l is a view correspondin` to Fig. 5

showin the .suction port closed and the vent oen, i i

pt ln the drawings, the reference character l indicates the usual engine intake manifold to which the carburetor 2, embodying a float chamber 3, is connected through a mixture passage cont-rolled by a throttle fl. The `pipe whereby suction is communicated `to `the vacuum chamber appears atb; the pipe through which fuel is lifted to thevacuum chamberv from the low level tanlr 6 (usually located at the rearol" theuvehicle) is seen at 5 and liquid flows .from the vacuum tank through the pipe El to the carburetor.

Vlheactual construction of the tank may be varied within wide limits. As shown, it embodies a shell 17 having a vacuum cham# ber 1'() and an auxiliary or receiving,r chamber l1 to which fuel is delivered from the chamber through a pasage 12 formed in a valve tting 1". "lhe latter is provided at its lower end with a valve la, preferably of the normally open type, and has at its upper end a centrally perforated plate or spider l5 adapted to receive the float guide rod 16. `Connection to the diaphragm 20, whereby the chambers 10 .and 11 are separated, is madeby means of the threaded annular member 21 preferably soldered to the diaphragm, and having the depending flange 22 upon which the tapered surface 23 of the fitting 13 is adapted to bear to form a tight seal. i

ln order that the fitting 13 may be readily assembled, removedor inspected, l provide the bottom 25 of the receiving` chamber with a threaded reinforcing member 26 which is soldered thereto. Fitting the reinforcing member is a threaded plug 2'? having` an opening1 28 aligned with the opening in the member 21, and arranged to receive the pipe '8 leading to the float chamber 3 of the carburetor. This manner of assembly and removal. l regard as broadly new.

The cap or cover for the vacuum chamber may vary in construction, but preferably comprises a body 30 attached by lscrews 31 to the rest of the tank. An outer member 32 and an inner member 33 are securedto the cover` 30, either of which may pass through the opening 34 in the cover. In the construction shown, the outer member 32 passes through the openingl and is threaded as at Sotto receive the other member and to clamp the several parte together. The outer member is provided with the suction pasm sage 36 with which the pipe 5 communicates,

said passage terminating in the valve chamw ber or opening 37. The valve 38, which may be in the formof a ball, serves to alten nately open and close the suctionpassage 36, said valve being operated, in the construction shown, by a sliding link 39 connected to the float 140 and extending upwardly therefrom. The valve has an upper guide 41 and a lower guide 4t2, said lower guide loosely litting an aperture i3 in the inner member 33. The Valve may be mounted and have its guides in the cover 30, but as stated heretofore and :t'or the convenience of assembly, the cap or cover is shown as made in three parts. Y

lllithin the outer member 32 and adjacent the suction port 3G is an air or vent valve la having an extension 45 which is adapted to seat on an annular disc 4G on the Valve 3S. This Valve when open breaks the Vacuum in the chamber l0, thus the chamber is under atmospheric pressure by means ot the passage TAS-49. rThe chamber 10 is also i adapted to vbe put in communication with the chamber ll lor equalizing the pressure in the two chambers by means ot the passage 5,051-52 and the chamber ior the Valve del. The tWo ports tor the suction valve and vent valve leading into the suction chamber have their axes in parallel alignment, which simpliiies the machinino' operation.

in operation, assuming that the tank 1s empty, the float being at the bottoni ot the chamber l0, the suction valve will be open and the vent closed as shown in Figure 5. lt suction is applied through the passage 36, gasoline will be drawn from the tank 6 through the pipe 7 and opening 55 into the chamber l0. rilhe gasoline Will raise the float and suction valve by means of the upwardly extending linlr 39 which engages a shoulder 56 on the valve 38 and is adapted to slide along the guide 42. rlfhis link is eX- tended upwardly to reduce the length of the Valve guide and consequently the weight which is Very desirable. 'When the largest section of the suction Valve enters the passage 37, as shown in Figure G, the valve disc has opened the Vent Valve. ln this position the valve is balanced and could not raise any further if the intlow of gasoline were to stop, but themoment the valve disc breaks the vent value oft its seat, air rushes in the chamber, unbalancing the suction Valve whi'chwillat once jump to its seat as shown in Figure 7 because of the dynamic upward pressure on the valve` caused by the air velocity at the passage '37, the passage at this point being restricted so that the velocity is greater than at any point in the suction line. Thus it will. be understood that the Valve has a snap action on its seat, independent o the Heat and any snap mechanism. First the suction is partially closed, then the vent is opened by the `action of the float, and then the suction entirely shutoff independent ot the float, the three being successive to each other. The two chambers l0 and 11 are now under atmospheric pressure and the liquid Hours through the perforated plate l5 and passage l2 to the chamber 1l. As the float lowers With the liquid level, the link 39 slides kclou/n the valve guide l2 engaging th'egshulder :158, thereby breaking the suction valve oit its seat and allowing the vent valve to partially close. The air Velocity in the passage 47 then positively closes the vent valve and the extension iorces the suction valve away from its seat after the float has initially moved the same. 'lhe vent vali'e, as well as the suction valve, is thus positively closed and opened independent of the float action. rEhe initial movement of the float in either direction partially opens and closes the vent and suction valves, and the velocity ot air passing through the openings completes the movements el said valves, causing them to open and close with a snap action. lt will be noted that as the suction valve 38 approaches its seat the air passage 37 becomes more and more i"'1ict ed While the Vent passage el? is progresively in creasing and becomes less restricted, which allows the vent Valve elfi to have a tree upv Ward movement, While the suction valvola iuaterially hastened to its seat.

TWhen the suction valve 3S is iuiliillv opened by the lloat, the action ot the valx'rs is reversed and the plumage et? is more and more restricted, snapping the vent valve -l l to its seat, while "the passage 8"? is progressively increasing and becomes less iesii .cred causing the valrc 38 to hare a l'ree dor-fu` Ward movement. and to remain in the open position. `iii/'hen the shoulder 58 reaches the uien'iber 33 it i'orins a stop lor the suction rali/'c and limits its downward movemeut.

lt understood that this invention is not limited in its apiilicatiou to the particuconstruction herein illustrated, as rarious changes might b'x made in the construction shown without departing` from the spirit oi this invention as set -forth in the appended claims.

l claim:

l. In an internal combustion engine liuel feeding` system ot the vacuum type, :i shell having a diaphragm separating; said shell to form a suction chamuer aud a receiving;l chamber, a threaded annular iucn'ilier sel cured to said diaphragm, a iittingl threaded at its upper end to engage said annular member, a tapered surface on one ol3 said members to engage a flange ou the other member to torni a seal, a llireauled reiuliu'ciufg member secured lo said receiving chamber, a threaded plug` having` :1 diameter lil'i'cal'er than that oi' said iliup; and adapted to cuando said reinlorcinA member. when we by when said plug;A is removed said lilliugiA .maybe removed through lhe u rniu11v iu ,said rcintorciinzj member.

'2. ln an internal combustion eiin'iue 'l'ucl feeding system ot the vacuum type` a shell having pair of chambers, one o'l said chambers havinga suction passage and a veut passagek leading` thereto, and the other a receiving chamber haria;r a rent passano and an outlet passage, a movable float in said suction chamber, a valve at the open end of said suction passage and having a guide within said suction passage, an upwardly extending link secured to said float and engaging a lower guide on said suction valve, a vent valve having its port in parallel alignment with the port of said suction valve, said vent valve located inthe vent passage and extending through the port of said paf*- sage and adapted to engage said suction valve.

3. A vacuum tank comprising a suction chamber having a downwardly opening passage for exhausting air therefrom, said passage terminating in a cylindrical portion emerging at its upper end into a conical valve seat, a float within said chamber, a valve of light weight for said seat having movement into and away from said cylindrical portion, said valve including a stem, means whereby said stem is loosely guided at both top and bottom, and a link connected to thel float and loosely surrounding the stem between the points at which it is guided whereby the major portion of the travel of the float is permitted without moving the valve, the float, when near the upper end of its travel, lifting the valve into said cylin drical portion 0f said passage whereupon the valve is drawn suddenly to its seat by unbalanced air forces.

fl. A vacuum tank comprising a {ioat chamber, a float therein, a suction passage leading into the upper part` of said chamber, a valve movable toward and from said pas` sage, said valve having a short stem de pending therefrom, and a link carried by said float and extending upwardly therefrom and having limited movement along said stem and cooperating therewith to draw said valve away from said passage when the float reaches a predetermined low level.

5. In an internal combustion engine fuel feeding system of the vacuum type, a shell having a vacuum chamber and a receiving chamber, a cover for said vacuum chamber, an outer member and an inner member secured to said cover, one of said members adapted to pass through an opening in said cover being provided with a suction valve and a vent valve, the other member forming a guide for said suction valve and engaging said first mentioned member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature..

EUGENE C. RICHARD. 

